


Words We Pass Between Ourselves

by LadyBrooke



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Canonical Character Death, Epistolary, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-16 18:35:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21275822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBrooke/pseuds/LadyBrooke
Summary: Arvedui has gone to inspect his own father's kingdom when news comes of his wife's father's death.The letters Fíriel and he send each other reveal more of their relationship than either expected them to.





	Words We Pass Between Ourselves

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lirin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lirin/gifts).

Fíriel, 

I am grieved to hear of your Father's death. He was a great King who led Gondor well, and his realm will be greatly diminished by the loss, as well as a great man whose influence stretched beyond his lands to increase the joy of those in other kingdoms. I grieve as well for the impact his death has on you, and hope that you will find solace for it in some manner. If you need anything, please inform my parents of such - they will treat you as one of their own. 

I have been made aware of General Eärnil's efforts to gain the throne, and how many supporters he has gained in Gondor. In the absence of any indications from your Father that he wished for such a man to take his kingdom, I intend to press a claim as well on our behalf and that of our children. If Gondor had not fallen so far from Númenor of old, your right to rule as the Ruling Queen would be recognized. As Gondor has fallen from such heights, I can only hope that the strength of our lines combined will be enough to convince the council.

It is my belief that together we can reunite Arnor and Gondor as one realm again, and bring back glory such as has not been seen since the days of Isildur. I will arrive in the city within the month and would greatly appreciate any knowledge you can grant me of how to approach the matter of pressing a claim to the throne. I will admit that I have come to rely on you for such, and can but hope you will indulge my questions once more. 

Arvedui 

Arvedui, 

Your grief at my father's death is accepted with my thanks. Father's death does bring grief to my heart, for I shall not see him again until my own death. However scant my visits with him would have been with my roles here, at least the possibility remained. Your family has been gracious to me in my grief. Your father mentioned that you had written to them to request you do so, and I thank you for such consideration. 

In light of my brothers' deaths, it is of little surprise to me that there are those like Eärnil who wish to claim the throne. The idea of a Ruling Queen has not been supported in all of Gondor's history, and the strife between Arnor and Gondor only makes it more likely that your claims will be looked upon unfavorably. In my judgement, your best chance of success lies with appealing to those who agreed with my Father upon the occasion of our marriage. 

If you stress the political nature of our marriage, and how Father wished to reunite the realms, you may appeal to both those who respected Father and those who dream of a larger Gondor. It will still be a delicate balance, for there are many who will see it as an attempt to overthrow Gondor. 

I await your return from this foray against the dark that haunts the realm, and will have what knowledge I can gather prepared for you.

Fíriel

Fíriel, 

I will take your wisdom into consideration. I will admit to some ill ease at the suggested portrayal of our marriage, though I admit that such a portrayal does seem to match many of the marriages of those to be persuaded. It may be that we are compelled to make such arguments. 

Nonetheless, such arguments seem a falsity to me. Most of my claim does rely on you being the daughter of the prior King and Númenor's Ruling Queens, for there are as many heirs to the throne as there were orcs at the Last Battle.

My claim may be better than many, but it is not better than yours. I make such a claim not merely because I wish for a throne, but because it is your right as well. To portray it as naught more than an attempt to fulfill your Father's wishes conceals many of my deepest wishes. 

I am glad that you have found comfort from the company of my family in these days. While our return has been delayed, I will return soon. I hope such brings you comfort in these dark days. 

Arvedui

Arvedui, 

Why should you feel ill ease to admit the truth? Our marriage was arranged as a political match, there is no shame in that. You should be happy to have made such a match, for it increases your own standing. It is not necessary to make apologies for factual matters so long as you do not take undue delight from them. 

You have not done so. You have been considerate of what your role is, and have not taken delight in the circumstances that will allow you to press your case that you are the rightful King. It is no evil to admit that our marriage is one of those facts. If you have become aware of certain emotions I have expressed about you to your sister, I assure you I have no intentions of holding you to my own feelings and would beg you to not feel beholden to them. 

I have prepared more documents for your perusal when you arrive in the city. While there are few cases in the history of Númenor that you were not already aware of, I have taken advantage of the records from the First Age and prepared information about the inheritance of rulerships by both the various Houses of Men and the Elves. Given the overall respect still held for many figures of the First Age, as reflected in many names of both Kings and Stewards, I believe you may make some gains if you present arguments based in those as well. 

Your family has been most gracious to me. I have no complaints about my treatment, and thank you for your concern. 

Fíriel 

Fíriel, 

I will make my arrival in the city with my closest followers soon after the arrival of this letter, if the path is clear. If not, I will be there as swiftly as possible, for I feel we must talk. Your last letter has led me to the understanding that I have not made myself clear enough. 

Our marriage did start as a political arrangement. Both of our fathers wanted closer ties to the other realm, and we entered into the marriage with the understanding of such. Our marriage has also benefited my own chances of being named a King of Gondor. 

But my feelings have grown past that for you, Fíriel. From the moment I met you, I found you beautiful. I rapidly grew to understand that you were also wise and just, the perfect match for any prince or king. I have grown to trust you with all that is mine, and I have grown to rely on you in all my matters. I can only hope you will return my feelings in the slightest. 

My sister has not sent me any word of what you have told her, and though I will admit to curiosity about such, I wil not beg her to tell me. I would have you speak honestly to me about such, but if not, I will merely be glad that you have found someone to confide in. 

No matter what your feelings for me are, I hope you will meet me upon my arrival. If they are not the same as mine, I can only ask that you give me a chance to court you in a manner befitting you. 

Your husband, 

Arvedui

My love,

Again, I must thank you for your gifts upon your arrival, though I would repeat that such are unnecessary. It is enough to have honesty between the two of us, and to no longer be missing the other's feelings. I can hardly ask for more. 

Messengers from Gondor have come seeking you, and have been informed of where you are. None so far appear to bring news of Eärnil's having been granted the throne, though all seem to be in awe of the general. Still, do not lose hope. It is before the council, and it may be that the Steward over reaches in his attempts. If he does not, we will still have this kingdom. I will continue to gather information in case any come seeking answers or arguments on your behalf. 

You had mentioned that you missed seeing your family. While my skills are less honed than they were in years past, I have enclosed some sketches of them I have done in the past few days. May they bring you hope and light as you fight the dark. 

Your dearest, 

Fíriel

My dearest wife, 

There is no need to thank me. I enjoyed giving you such gifts, though they pale in comparison to what you have given me. If this is your skills after they have paled, I can only imagine the images you produced before would have put even the living to shame. 

I have enclosed another trinket with this letter - you need naught send anything back in return, I shall be home soon enough. But we happened across the most curious man and his wife near the river, and she offered to let me have some of her flowers for you. I have pressed them between two sheets and enclosed them. It is my hope that even dried and pressed, the colors will still brighten your day. 

The messengers from Gondor reached us. They are now aware of my location and have assured me they will bring future updates directly. I remain hopeful for our futures, even in light of their feelings for Eärnil. They are not the totality of Gondor.

I will count the days until I return. 

With all my love, 

Arvedui

My love, 

Thank you for the flowers. They do brighten my days with their colors. While you did not mention doing so, I can tell you intended them to remind me of our wedding just based on the bright blues and purples. 

As you requested, I have enclosed no gift in this letter save my gratefulness and well wishes. I cannot accept your praise on the sketches - I was never so good as that! Still, I am pleased they brought you comfort and hope that any future ones do as well. 

I am glad they will bring the messages to you directly in the future. Nevertheless, I hope you have not attached too many of your hopes to such. Their insistence on Eärnil's greatness and their reactions to everyone here have led me to believe that even if the Council wished to, the people of Gondor would resist. I do not wish to see you hurt. If it comes to such, Gondor's crown is not worth losing our lives. Please, Arvedui, I would not lose you so soon after my father and brothers. I do not trust this to not bring Gondor to war. 

Return safely to me, as soon as events allow. 

Your dearest,

Fíriel 

My dearest wife, 

My attempts to persuade the council have failed. Messengers bring word that Eärnil will be King of Gondor. 

I am sorry that I could not return your kingdom to you. It is unthinkable that such Men as reside in Gondor cannot see past their own superstitions and rumors to acknowledge your right to the throne over such a man. 

I can only hope that you will be content, if not happy, in the realm I have to offer you. I had hoped there would be more I could give you. At the least I had hoped to give you the option to return to the south at times, when ruling takes me from your side.

I shall return as soon as I can, and bring what gifts from your home that I have had sent to me by the messengers. 

With all my love, 

Arvedui

My love, 

This end is what I expected, so no apologies are needed. I am grateful for your efforts, but even more grateful for being treated as your partner in such matters, and not merely a political asset to support your claims. 

Gondor has rejected us, and we must make our future in light of that. There are still these lands to protect and guard, to shelter us and our children. I am not lost to sorrow because we will not have Gondor as well. 

I await your arrival to our home with longing and curiosity as to what you may bring from the land of my birth. May my wishes for your safe travel keep you safe as you return to me. 

Your dearest,

Fíriel


End file.
